Leaving your car running to warm it up, police call it puffing, and they say it's illegal and have a new campaign to get everyone to stop.

Leaving your car running to warm it up, police call it puffing, and they say it's illegal and have a new campaign to get everyone to stop.

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Updated: 5:55 PM EST Feb 22, 2016

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WEBVTT THE NEW CAMPAIGN TO GET EVERYBODY TO STOP. REPORTER: THE MESSAGE COMING FROM POLICE IS THAT PUFFERS ATTRACT THIEVES. RUNNING CARS ARE A TEMPTATION, A CRIME OF CONVENIENCE AND IN SOME CASES DRIVERS CAN BE FINED. THIS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS A PUFFER, A STORE OWNER STARTS HIS CAR TO WARM IT UP, TWO MEN ON THE SIDEWALK SAW AN OPPORTUNITY AND TOOK IT. >> THEY LOOK AT THE VEHICLE, DISCUSS IT, AND THEY JUST COULDN'T RESIST IT, THEY JUMPED IN AND DROVE OFF WITH THE VEHICLE. REPORTER: POLICE SAY DRIVERS WHO START THEIR CARS AND LEAVE THEM RUNNING HAVE ONLY THEMSELVES TO BLAME. >> YOU MIGHT AS WELL ROLL OUT A RED CARPET FOR A THIEF, PUFFERS CAN BE STOLEN IN SECONDS. >> IT'S A CRIME OF OPPORTUNITY, MANY THIEVES DON'T INTEND ON STEALING CARS, IT'S JUST TOO HARD TO RESIST. REPORTER: CONSIDER THIS, OWNERS WHO LEAVE THEIR CARS PUFFING COULD BE BREAKING THE LAW. >> IT'S ILLEGAL TO LEAVE YOUR CAR RUNNING ON A PUBLIC STREET IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA. REPORTER: THAT IS A PUBLIC STREET NOT A PARKING LOT OR A GAS STATION, OR YOUR DRIVEWAY. REGARDLESS, CARS LEFT PUFFING CAN BE STOLEN IN SECONDS AND STRIPPED FOR PARTS LIKE THIS ONE. >> WORST CASE SCENARIO, THIS IS HOW YOUR PUFFED CONSIDER CAN END UP. REPORTER: LOCAL POLICE AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WANT TO PUT AN END TO PUFFING. FEWER OPPORTUNITIES MEANS FEWER THEFTS. >> YOU CAN'T GET TO WORK YOU CAN'T GO TO THE PHARMACY TO GET YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS, YOU CAN'T MAKE YOUR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, CAN'T PICK YOUR KID UP FROM THE SCHOOL BUS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS IMPACT YOUR LIFE BECAUSE YOU WALKED OUT AND LEFT YOUR CAR RUNNING AND BOOM IT'S GONE. REPORTER: ABOUT 13,000 CARS ARE STOLEN EVERY YEAR HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA AND CONSIDER THIS, A THIEF WHO TAKES YOUR CAR MIGHT ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION, YOUR HOME ADDRESS IS

Dangerous and illegal: 'Puffing' is a crime of convenience

Leaving your car running to warm it up, police call it puffing, and they say it's illegal and have a new campaign to get everyone to stop.